


Because He's Worth It

by shamelessurbanbunny



Series: In Which the Audi Was Never Stolen [2]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Birthday Sex, Blow Jobs, Coming Out, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-24 08:01:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7500438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shamelessurbanbunny/pseuds/shamelessurbanbunny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A one shot follow up to “The Audi Was Exactly Where Robert Left It.” This can be read as a stand alone piece, but makes way more sense if you read the first fic. Set in an AU where Ross never stole Robert’s car, and Robert never blackmailed Ross and Aaron into robbing Home Farm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Because He's Worth It

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something for Kate and shade_of_purple who asked me to write another fic for this AU. This one shot picks up immediately after the other fic ends, for anyone who maybe wanted a follow up. No major plot to this, or it’d be another 16 chapters lol! Just captures how people respond to finding out about the boys. I kept it light since Part 2 I'm writing for my canon fic is full of angst. I thought I’d post this before I really get sucked into writing "When She Fell."
> 
> For those of you who prefer AU to canon, I have some ideas I’m playing around with and will start posting a new AU story in August.

2 January 2015

It took longer than Robert expected for the news to travel. It actually took about three days for it to be common knowledge that he was with Aaron. Robert lingered in bed with him the morning after the showdown with Chrissie, partly because he was enjoying the morning in bed with Aaron too much to want it to end, but also because he was certain that when he came down he’d find all of Emmerdale in line to gawk at him. Certainly his family did a lot of staring. And it didn’t escape his notice that Victoria and Andy just randomly appeared for a late breakfast that Diane kindly offered to cook for him and Aaron when they finally got out of bed. He was reasonably sure Diane had called them over.

Breakfast was even more awkward than tea the day before, when his family had sat around him, waiting for him to explain that he’d had an affair. He and Aaron ate quietly, trying to ignore the way the three other Sugdens sitting at the table with them were trading looks with each other and trying to slyly examine them. As if they were searching for signs that Robert and Aaron were a couple. Like they expected Robert to look different somehow, now that he was with a bloke.

“So are any of you going to say something, or just keep on staring?” Aaron asked as he scraped up some egg yolk with a piece of toast. Robert smirked as he watched the younger man carelessly pop it into his mouth, chewing like he hadn’t a care in the world. He wished he could be that cavalier, but then, Aaron had been out for years hadn’t he? This was Robert’s first day, and he was nervous and a bit embarrassed.

Vic was the first to say something. “Sorry, it’s just a lot to take in. I mean, we never even knew Rob was…?”

Robert knew it was a question, of the “fill in the blank” variety. He’d been worried about this. He had no interest in labeling himself, but he had known that others would want to stick him in a neat little box. Was he gay or bi is what she was trying to ask him. He didn’t feel like either. He felt like Robert. He was no different inside today than he’d been yesterday, or last week, or last year. So instead of answering the question that Vic hadn’t actually managed to ask, Robert shrugged and said, “Well, now you know.”

He caught the sideways look Aaron gave him. He recognized an evasion when he heard one. Robert appreciated that there was no judgment in that look. This was new for Robert. He needed time to adjust, to get used to people knowing something about him that he wasn’t even comfortable with himself.

Before the awkward silence could reintroduce itself, Diane gathered her resolve. “How long have you been seeing each other?” she asked casually, as if Aaron was simply a new beau Robert was bringing home to meet the family, and not the man he’d had an affair with.

“Er… hard to say,” Robert said, glancing at Aaron. The younger man gave a shrug and nodded. They had first slept together back in November, but after Robert had gotten back with Chrissie, they had stopped “seeing” each other. That is, until Christmas, when Chrissie had caught them together. “A month, I guess.”

“That long?” Diane asked with considerable surprise. Realizing they might take her shock badly, she added, “Not that I’m judging, I just thought with all of us under one roof I might have noticed something.”

“That’s kinda the point, isn’t it, Diane?” Andy finally spoke up. “If you’re going to have an affair you can’t have everyone guessing what you’re up to.”

“Andy,” Victoria said warningly.

Andy gave a shrug, not looking apologetic. “I’m just stating fact. We all know they were having an affair. I don’t see any point in pretending otherwise.”

“It’s alright,” Robert said, glancing at Aaron to see how he was taking things so far. He looked unbothered, thankfully. “Technically it wasn’t an affair though,” he felt the need to explain. “Not until Christmas day. Before that we weren’t actually together while I was with Chrissie.”

Clearly wanting to move past the tense moment, Vic perked up and asked, “How did you two decide you fancied each other?”

Robert looked over at Aaron again, and saw the younger man glance away from Vic and sit up in his chair, finally looking uncomfortable. Robert couldn’t very well tell his family that he’d come home upset after Chrissie had made their break up official, only to find Aaron snogging a stranger on the sofa. Robert had chased the other man out and then kissed Aaron. They hadn’t even made it up the stairs to one of their bedrooms before they’d fallen on each other. It had been a very good night. Memorable. But not the sort of thing he’d want to tell his little sister. Or his brother and step-mum.

Aaron answered for them when Robert found himself uncharacteristically tongue tied. “It just kind of happened, didn’t it? Not like we planned it.”

“I wasn’t saying you did,” she protested. “It’s just the kind of question you’re supposed to ask your brother’s boyfriend.” Shaking her head, Vic turned to Robert and said, “I don’t know what you see in him. He’s always so grumpy!”

Robert couldn’t help but smile at that. He liked when Aaron was grumpy. And he liked the sound of that word, too. Boyfriend. It sounded good, but also like something else he’d have to get used to. He was just glad he didn’t foresee running into a situation where he’d have to introduce Aaron anytime soon. He wasn’t sure he could introduce the younger man as his boyfriend without squirming uncomfortably. Robert just wasn’t there yet. But he knew he would get there. He had to, if he wanted to keep Aaron with him. He was giving Robert leeway right now, but eventually he’d expect him to be okay with all of this.

Realizing he’d just been sitting there smiling at Aaron, Robert turned back to Vic and found everyone staring at him. They quickly looked down at their plates, but he thought he saw Diane and Vic smiling, happy that Robert was with someone he clearly cared about. He was sure they were still curious, but the conversation thankfully shifted away from his relationship with Aaron. He only wished that Chas would be this easy to talk to, but Robert wasn’t going to bet on it. She had already made it more than clear that she didn’t think he was good enough for her son.

*****

“How’d it go?” Robert asked as Aaron took a seat across from him. Robert had snagged a table for them at the pub, and already had a pint ready for Aaron. By the look on his face, he needed it. Aaron’s blue eyes were dark with anger, and his scowl was on full force.

“Fine,” he said. Robert wasn’t at all reassured. Especially not when Chas came out of the back to help Diane at the bar. She looked over at them and glared at him, looking murderous.

“Right,” he said, taking a sip from his glass. “Maybe it would have been better if I was there too.”

“No, she’d only have bitten your head off,” Aaron said, shaking his head. “She’ll get used to it.”

“I know I’m not the most popular man in the village, but what’s she got against me?” Robert asked, genuinely curious. “As far as I know, I’ve never done anything to her. Apart from sleep with her son.” He gave Aaron a suggestive look, enjoying the way the younger man rolled his eyes at him.

“She’s best mates with Katie, for one,” Aaron said. Robert nodded. He and Katie hated each other, so he was sure most of what Chas heard about him was greatly biased. “It doesn’t help that we started up while you were with Chrissie. She doesn’t think you’re serious about me.”

There was something in Aaron’s tone that caught his attention. Leaning in close over the tabletop, Robert whispered, “I am, you know? Serious about you.” He stared into those deep blue eyes, willing Aaron to believe him. Finally the younger man nodded, a faint smile touching on his lips.

“You better be, with all the kicking I have to put up with at night,” Aaron joked, letting the moment pass.

Robert was going to see if he could convince Aaron to head to bed early, but just then Adam walked up to their table. “There he is!” Adam exclaimed, looking at Robert. The young man grabbed an unused chair from a nearby table and pulled it over so he could join them uninvited. “Haven’t seen you in forever! I’ve been hearing all sorts about you.”

“Like what?” Robert asked, steeling himself for what Adam might say. He was that sure that Katie and Chrissie had been running around the village telling everyone he was gay.

“Word is your bird called off the wedding,” Adam said, actually looking concerned. From what Robert had seen of Adam, the lad was always genuine, and usually wore his heart on his sleeve. He was as transparent as Aaron was hard to read. Robert looked across the table at Aaron, to find his new boyfriend trying to hide a smile in his pint. It was hard to imagine how a quiet, surly man like Aaron had become such good mates with someone like Adam. He seemed too boyish and carefree. He was like an energetic puppy that could piss on the rug and still look up at you with big, innocent eyes.

“Yeah, the wedding is definitely off,” Robert said, giving Aaron a meaningful look.

Adam noticed the look, but obviously didn’t know what it meant. “Did you know about this?” he asked Aaron.

“I may have had an idea,” Aaron acknowledged, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands over his stomach. He was clearly enjoying this.

“How come you didn’t say?” Adam demanded. “I came here, asking about the business proposal, and you just sat there with a face like a slapped arse! I thought for sure Robert was backing out and you didn’t want to say!” He shook his head, clearly exasperated. Turning toward Robert, he added, “Sorry, mate, I know it’s probably a bad time to talk about it.”

“Not at all,” Robert reassured him, taking his cue from Aaron and not explaining the circumstances upfront.

“How are you holding up? It must be doing your head in.”

It was actually not bothering him too much. For all that he’d been with Chrissie for over a year, it was hard to actually miss her when he had Aaron now. He had loved her, but this thing with Aaron was something more. It was impossible to really compare the two. “Thanks, but it actually hasn’t been too bad. We were having problems before.”

“It seemed like you were moving past that, though, and then all of a sudden-” he interrupted himself and made a big gesture with his hands, like something had blown up.

“We did make up,” Robert said. Looking over at Aaron, he added, “But I met someone when we were taking a break. Even if Chrissie hadn’t found out about them, the marriage probably wouldn’t have lasted.”

“Really? Because of this person you met?” Adam asked. “You must really care for her.” Robert smirked at that. Of course Adam would assume he was talking about a woman. Across the table, Aaron sighed at him, not amused at being referred to as a female. “So who’s this bird you’re seeing? Do I know her?”

“Actually,” Robert said, raising his eyebrows at Adam, “you know him quite well.”

Adam stared at him for a few seconds before turning his head to look at Aaron, who’d gone a bit red faced. Mouth dropping open, Adam turned back to Robert. “What- you mean Aaron?” he exclaimed. “Our Aaron? When- what…” He trailed off, staring at the two of them before finally reaching over and punching Aaron’s arm. “Some mate you are! How come you didn’t tell me? I hope this means Mr. Money Bags over here is a sure thing when it comes to investing in the business.”

“As it happens I did look over the business proposal while I was away. There are a few details we should iron out before I invest, but otherwise it looks good.”

“Sound,” Adam said happily, still looking at them wide eyed. “Wait, is this why you were acting weird when we went to Bar West?” he asked Robert.

“What? No I wasn’t.”

“You were, mate,” he insisted. “Makes sense to me now. Anyway, are the two of you official now?”

“Not many people know about it, but yeah,” Aaron said, while Robert frowned over being told that anything about his behavior had been weird. “Katie knows about it, so she’s probably already told Leyla and Vanessa. With that lot knowing, it’ll be all over the village soon enough.”

Just thinking about it made Robert uncomfortable. He tried to hide it by taking a sip from his glass. “Were you trying to keep it a secret?” Adam asked, confused.

“We just don’t want others in our business, do we?” Aaron said. “Everyone and their mother is going to suddenly have an opinion.”

“I guess I never thought about it,” Adam said. “Well, if they say anything about you in front of me, I’ll set them straight!” he promised.

The two young men started goofing off then. Robert was happy to sit by, quietly watching. Best case scenario, everyone else took the news in stride the way Adam had. Worst case scenario, they were firmly in the “I hate Robert Sugden” camp with Chas and Chrissie. He wouldn’t know which way the wind was blowing until the rumors spread. He’d never have thought he’d want the news out faster, but waiting around, not knowing how everyone was going to react, was a bit like having the sword of Damocles hanging over his head. Robert didn’t care for it one bit.

*****

3 January 2015

He could feel eyes tracking him as he walked through the pub on his way out to his car. When he glanced around, he saw a few people look away. The only two that met his gaze firmly were Chas and Katie. The first was glaring at him as she wiped down the bar with a white cloth. The latter was sitting on a stool in front of Chas, looking smugly over her shoulder at him. That look alone was enough to make him want to smack her. He couldn’t remember now what he’d ever seen in Katie all those years ago.

Robert couldn’t worry about that now. He had other things on his mind. Getting in his Audi, he made the quick drive to Home Farm. He spotted Sam waiting for him as he went up the drive. The older man looked worried as he waited for Robert to get out of his car and walk over to him. “Alright Sam,” he called out.

“Front door’s unlocked,” Sam said. “If they ask, it was open when you got here.” He nodded to Robert, and then hurried away. He didn’t take offense. If Chrissie or Lawrence knew Sam had let him in, the man would get sacked. He’d only unlocked the door because he was a Dingle, and loyalty to family outweighed everything else. Robert had talked this over with Aaron, and they’d both agreed that if he knocked on the door, the Whites would never let him in. If he wanted a chance to talk business with them, he had to force the issue. So Aaron had called Sam, who had agreed to help out once he was assured that Robert wasn’t planning anything.

Letting himself inside the mansion, Robert took a moment to look around. The spacious interior was a far cry from his room at the pub. He couldn’t lie; he missed this. It was what he’d always wanted for himself. Robert appreciated the many fine touches that a less discerning eye might miss. That was real marble under his shoes, and silk wallpaper on the walls. The chandelier overhead was crystal. They were small things that hinted at class and sophistication that had almost been within his grasp the last time he’d been here. Now he was an outsider looking in.

“What are you doing here?” Lawrence demanded, coming from the kitchen. “Who let you in?”

“Door was unlocked,” Robert said, dutifully hiding the small part Sam had played. “A good thing too, since I’d never have gotten a chance to speak to you otherwise.”

“Too right!” Lawrence said. “You have some nerve showing your face here after what you’ve done! You’re lucky Chrissie isn’t here to see you. Don’t you think you’ve upset her enough?”

“Out shopping?” Robert asked, struck by the familiarity of her habits. He thought back to the night before, when he’d told Adam he was dealing well with the breakup. It wasn’t a lie, but that didn’t mean he felt nothing.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business anymore,” Lawrence told him. “What do you want, Robert?”

“You know what, I’m glad Chrissie isn’t here. It gives us a chance to talk business.” Lawrence just glared at him, so Robert said, “What, you’re not going to invite me in? Maybe head over to the office?”

“As far as I’m concerned, this conversation is already over.”

“Not according to the two-year contract you signed,” Robert said smugly. Really, that had been good thinking on his part, all things considered.

“I think you’ll find that not turning up for work for a week counts as justifiable cause for being let go,” Lawrence said, looking pleased with himself.

Robert smirked. “I don’t agree, and I think the law will be on my side if you want to take it to court. See, I may have been gone for a week, but I was working the entire time. My phone records and my clients can confirm that.” Lawrence looked like he’d tasted something foul. “As if that wasn’t enough, I don’t remember receiving a warning from you. You never said I wasn’t allowed to work from another location, did you? As far as I knew, that was perfectly acceptable.”

“I’ll ask again, what do you want, Robert? I think we both know I want you to go away.”

“I want my job back,” Robert said. Lawrence snorted, shaking his head.

“That’s completely out of the question! I don’t trust you.”

“Look, what happened between me and Chrissie was personal. This is business. I am a good Estate Manager, and you need someone who can get the job done. Without me, all you’ll get is another Nicola in the position,” Robert pointed out. “As I seem to recall, you had to fire her after her incompetence gave you a heart attack.”

“I’d rather train Nicola to do the job right than have you here every day. I think Chrissie would agree.”

Robert nodded. He’d been expecting this, and was prepared with a second strategy. He’d have preferred to stay on because he liked the work, but if he couldn’t have that, then he wouldn’t be leaving empty handed. “Then if I can’t have my job, I should be compensated, don’t you think. For the loss of my wages?”

“Now we get to the point,” the old man said dryly. “What ridiculous amount are you asking for?”

“Considering the fact that you and Chrissie will try your hardest to ruin my name amongst our business contacts, I think a year’s wages would be fair. I’ve no doubt you’ll make it as difficult as you can for me to find other work.”

“I’ll give you this: you’re not shy about asking,” Lawrence said. “Four months,” he counter-offered.

“I’m sorry, did I say it was negotiable? One year. I’ll be waiting for my check.” Robert let himself out, pleased with how he’d handled that. He had no doubt he looked like the cat that ate the canary, because when he got back to the pub, Aaron raised his brows as soon as he spotted Robert. He felt too good to even bother with the whispers that started up around them when he took the stool next to Aaron at the bar.

“No need to ask if it went well,” Aaron commented, before sipping at his pint.

“I think it did,” Robert confirmed. He nodded to Chas as she approached him.

“You’re looking pleased with yourself!” she exclaimed. “Been causing more aggro round the village, have you?”

“Mum,” Aaron said, with a shake of his head.

Ignoring her son, Chas looked directly at Robert and gave a pained looking smile, as if it physically hurt to be nice to him. “Can I get you anything?”

“A pint, thanks. And don’t forget the straw.” She raised her eyebrows at him, giving him a politely questioning look that didn’t manage to cover her disdain of him. “So you can suck the fun out of my day,” he added.

“Clever,” she said, “but you know what isn’t? Investing in a taxi firm with no chance of profits for years. If ever.”

Aaron straightened on his stool, glaring at her. “That’s enough,” he warned. “You said you’d give him a chance.”

“I am!” she exclaimed. “I haven’t bottled him yet, have I? And I said I’d back off when it comes to your relationship with him. I didn’t say I’d just ignore everything else.”

Aaron gave her an incredulous look. “Since when have you had a problem with Robert investing in the taxi firm?”

“Since I found out about it,” she said. “His investment is a bad idea anyway, but your taxi firm? It’s never going to work.”

“It’s nice that,” Robert said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. “The faith you’ve got in your son.”

Chas crossed her arms and frowned at him. “Call it experience. Me and Debs tried the whole taxi thing years back.”

“Yeah, well maybe Aaron’s a bit better at business than you are,” Robert told her sharply. He knew it was a bit of a sore topic for him, given that his father had always been disappointed in Robert when he showed interest in anything that wasn’t farming.

“I hope so! Because then he and Adam have got a chance of scraping a living, but as for profits? Not a chance! So why invest?”

“Because I know Aaron can do whatever he wants to do. Why are you so certain he’ll fail?”

“Like I said, it’s been tried. It’s never going to work, no matter how much faith you have in my son.”

“You’re wrong,” he told her heatedly.

Instead of coming at him with another argument, Chas cocked her head to the side and stared at him like he’d just done something interesting. “Well, I was wrong about one thing at least.”

“What’s that?” Robert asked, still defensive.

“I thought you were just using Aaron when you started up with him like you did. But you’ve clearly got it bad if you’re willing to sink your check into a guaranteed money pit for him.” With that, she turned and walked through to the back.

“I don’t think I’m getting my pint, do you?” Robert finally said when Chas didn’t come back right away.

Aaron gave a nod and took a sip from his pint. “Probably not,” he agreed. “Listen, what she said-”

“Just forget about it,” Robert suggested.

Aaron shook his head. “I can’t. What if it goes wrong?”

The younger man looked genuinely worried. It was a little adorable. “Then I say… bye-bye money,” Robert said with a big shrug.

“Then you say bye-bye us,” Aaron corrected, playing with his mostly full glass. “You’re not supposed to do business with… people you…”

“What?” Robert asked softly, staring at the younger man, wondering if he was trying to avoid the word Robert thought he was. He was almost certain that Aaron was trying to say that you weren’t supposed to do business with people you loved.

Aaron took a deep breath. “It’s going to get in the way,” he finally said, voice thick with emotion.

“It won’t,” Robert reassured him. For a second he was disappointed that Aaron hadn’t said it. When he remembered they were standing in the middle of a full pub, he decided he was relieved. This wasn’t the place for it.

“I just can’t sit here and promise you it won’t fail.”

“Well then, I’m glad I’m only putting in what I could afford to throw away,” Robert said, meeting his eyes.

Aaron looked down as his glass. “You say that now.”

Heart thudding in his chest as he gathered his nerve, Robert said, “Hey, don’t get cold feet. You’ll make me think I fell for a quitter.”

It took a moment for what he’d said to register, but he could tell when Aaron got it. Those blue eyes lifted to meet his, and Aaron’s face had softened with surprise. Robert smirked, then changed the subject, figuring that enough had been said for now. “Since it doesn’t look like I’ll ever get my drink, I don’t think I’ll stick around.”

The younger man was looking at him curiously. “Where you headed to?”

“Well, I do still feel like celebrating after my meeting with Lawrence, just not with a pint,” Robert murmured.

Aaron looked amused, lips quirking in a private smile as he glanced over at Robert. “Feeling lucky, are you?”

“Maybe I am. Why don’t you finish up that pint and then join me upstairs.” Lowering his voice and leaning in, he glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to hear. He spotted a few punters eyeing them eagerly, waiting for them to do something gossip-worthy. They had probably been watching avidly as Robert had shared tense words with Chas. Choosing to ignore them, Robert whispered, “I’ll make sure it’s worth your time.”

The look Aaron gave him made all the gossip and the staring worth it. His face was suddenly intense as his thoughts followed Robert’s. “I’ll make this quick then,” Aaron said, lifting his glass as his voice went all rumbly and soft. Doing his best to hide the shiver that ran up his spine, Robert nodded and went around the bar and through the back. By the time he’d made it to his room, he’d gone through several scenarios in his head. He thought about trying to make the moment romantic, or sensual, but he finally decided that he was in the mood for obvious. He’d save the romance for Aaron’s birthday in a couple days.

Closing the door firmly behind him, Robert immediately started undressing. He tossed his clothes in the general direction of the laundry basket in the corner of the room. Standing beside the bed, he tried to figure out how he wanted to arrange himself. Sitting on the edge of the bed with his legs spread was a bit too obvious. Maybe laying down on his side like an underwear model in a magazine, head propped up and legs positioned to frame himself? Or maybe that same position, but with the soft sheet draped over him, barely covering him?

Liking the sound of that, Robert placed his hands on the mattress, intending to crawl onto the tall bed. He was startled by the door opening and closing quickly behind him. Looking over his shoulder at Aaron, he caught the younger man grinning at him. “Not very subtle, that.”

Robert realized then that he was bent over the bed, his arse presented to Aaron as if he’d just been waiting like that for the younger man to find him. “Shut up,” Robert said, crawling onto the bed and sitting down in the middle of it.

“You shouldn’t have moved on my account. I was enjoying the view. Reminded me of our first time,” Aaron said, eyes never leaving Robert as he started to undress. 

“I remember,” Robert said, a bit touched that it seemed to be a memory Aaron held dear.

“I’m up for recreating the moment, but you’re the one who just faced up to the Whites. You get to choose.”

Robert stared at him hungrily as the younger man finished undressing. Asking him to choose how he wanted Aaron was a bit like putting a starving man in front of a buffet and telling him to pick something. Robert wanted it all, every last inch of the man. He could feel himself getting hot all over as Aaron walked toward the bed, wiry muscles moving under his tight skin. It felt like time was moving differently around them, seeming to go in slow motion as he watched Aaron come closer, and then all of a sudden it sped up, so that the younger man was on the bed and kissing him.

Groaning, Robert pushed Aaron down, sliding on top of him and holding him in place by straddling his hips. He sank into the taste of his mouth, the pint Aaron had finished off minutes ago so fresh on his tongue that it felt like Robert was sipping the finest ale. It was intoxicating. He never wanted to stop kissing him, but eventually they had to pull apart to breathe. Robert shuddered as calloused hands stroked down his body, seeming to effortlessly find the most sensitive parts of him and linger there.

“You decided what you want?” Aaron whispered.

“Your mouth,” Robert told him, stealing another kiss. He let Aaron roll them over so that he was on top, breath quickening as the younger man laid gentle kisses along his neck. He lingered at Robert’s collarbone, tracing it with his lips before following a trail of freckles down his body. He shivered as Aaron settled between his thighs, breath teasing the sensitive skin at Robert’s groin. “Aaron!” he moaned as he felt that hot mouth close over the tip of him. Roughened fingers gently toyed with him as Aaron took Robert in deeply. That mouth was hot and slick around him, tongue moving against him just the way he liked. Writhing on the bed, he reached up and caught hold of the rails on the headboard, grabbing on tight as Aaron slid up and down his length. He fought not to thrust, letting Aaron do the work, losing himself in the pleasure until he came with a shout, looking down his body and meeting electric blue eyes.

Aaron pulled up off of him and crawled up the mattress so that he could lay down next to Robert. It took him a moment to recover enough to stop panting. When he did, Aaron leaned over and kissed him. Robert could taste himself on Aaron’s lips. “That was for a job well done,” Aaron murmured. “Now are you going to tell me about it? I know it went well, but what happened?”

“You want to talk about it now?” Robert pouted. He reached down to cup Aaron, enjoying the way the younger man shivered against him.

“Alright, will you tell me after?” Aaron asked, burying his fingers in blond hair to bring their faces close together as Robert began to tug at him.

“After,” Robert promised. Aaron gave in easily as Robert once again climbed on top of him.

*****

Robert was feeling very satisfied with himself when he and Aaron made their way back down to the pub. There was something about the endorphins that surged through the body after sex that made everything look brighter. Even when he saw that the number of people eyeing him curiously had grown just in the hour he’d been upstairs, his mood refused to sour. He thought he might actually be able to get through this coming out process without over thinking it if he could convince Aaron to add a noon quickie to his daily schedule. Robert quite liked the sound of that.

“No need to ask what you two were up to,” Chas said with grudging amusement as they sat on a couple of stools at the bar. She eyed Robert and added, “You could make it a bit less obvious by coming back down in the same clothes you left in.”

“My shirt got wrinkled,” Robert said.

“Well, now half the pub can guess what you were doing just now.”

Aaron shrugged. “Who cares? If this lot has nothing better to do than watch us, they need to get their own lives.”

“A couple of pints when you’re ready, Chas.” Robert said, effectively ending that topic.

Once she set their drinks down in front of them, Aaron raised his eyebrows at him. “So I think I’ve waited long enough,” Aaron said. “Are you going to tell me how it went earlier? Are you still employed, or are all drinks on me for the next few weeks?”

“Ha ha,” Robert said, unamused. Money was never a joke to him. “As it happens, Lawrence hates me and wants to fire me.”

Aaron nodded and gave him an expectant look. “And? You don’t expect me to be surprised or to believe you just went along with that.”

“I’ve demanded a sizable severance check,” he said smugly. “Chrissie and Lawrence are probably going to make sure I get blacklisted by all our business contacts. A generous check is the least he can give me for firing me from a job I’m good at.”

It seemed there was one sure way to ruin his mood. “That’s gutsy of you,” Katie said from behind them. Robert frowned, already feeling annoyed and she’d only said four words. “Demanding money from the father of the woman you cheated on? I’d say I’m surprised, but I’d be lying.”

“Can’t you see this is a private discussion?” Robert asked her. “Don’t tell me you’re going to obsess over me and Aaron the way you did over me and Chrissie?”

“At least Aaron can’t say he didn’t know what he was getting into with you, seeing as how you were with Chrissie when the two of you started up,” Katie said.

Aaron frowned at her. “You’ve seriously got nothing better to do than kick off about who he’s sleeping with? Can you not just let it go?” Leaning in like he was letting her in on a secret, Aaron said, “After ten years, it starts looking a bit sad when you hold a grudge against an ex.”

“Just don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Katie said.

Shrugging, Aaron shook his head. “I don’t remember asking for a warning. So why don’t you just do one?”

“Oi,” Chas said, overhearing Aaron and coming over to break it up. “Never you mind him, Katie. What’ll you have?”

“A pint and a glass of white,” Katie said. She gave Aaron and Robert a fake smile and headed over to a table where Andy sat waiting for her.

Chas gave them both a warning look as she grabbed a glass and started pouring a pint. “If you’re going to sit in the pub, you have to play nice with the punters. I can’t have you scaring them off.”

“Yeah, well she’s the one that started it,” Robert said.

Aaron got to his feet and grabbed his glass. “Let’s go to the back,” he suggested. Robert followed him without question, eager for it to be just the two of them. Katie had ruined his good mood, and he was beginning to feel like the skin at the back of his neck was crawling with how many people were staring at him. It hadn’t bothered him too much before, but Robert could swear that when he glanced over his shoulder before disappearing into the back with Aaron, there was not a single eye turned away from him.

*****

4 January 2015

Walking up to the counter at the cafe, Robert nodded at Bob and said, “Two Americanos, thanks.”

Bob glanced over Robert’s shoulder at Aaron, who’d taken a seat on one of the armchairs when they had walked in. “Ordering for two?” he inquired.

It couldn’t have been more obvious that the older man was fishing for information. Robert gave him a pointed look and just waited. Bob caught on quickly. “Right,” he said. “Two Americanos, coming up.”

Robert tried not to get irritated with him. It was difficult when he already felt on edge. Even as he was standing there, waiting on his drinks, he heard a woman whisper, “I never guessed him for gay.” He looked around, trying to pinpoint who’d said it. There were too many prying eyes on him to guess who he had overheard this time.

It was clear that the news had finally reached everyone. For the past couple of days, he’d gotten some looks, but that was all. Today, the whispers had started up.

“I can’t believe Robert Sugden is gay! Never saw it coming,” they murmured.

“Do you think Aaron turned him?” they wondered.

“I feel bad for his fiancee. Can you imagine finding your man with another bloke? Terrible!”

“Do you think he’s bi or gay?”

“Maybe this is why he couldn’t ever keep to one bird!”

Expecting this reaction and coping with it were two different things. He was struggling. Robert was trying to hide just how much he was struggling with it, fearing that it would hurt Aaron to see how unhappy this kind of attention was making him. He could admit only to himself that he had preferred how people treated him when he was engaged to Chrissie and had money to throw around. He had enjoyed the respect, and even the jealousy. The way everyone looked at him now was intrusive, and made him feel like a creature at a zoo. They weren’t even bothering to look away anymore when he caught them staring.

He paid for the drinks and walked over to where Aaron was sitting. Robert drank in those familiar, handsome features, trying to focus on how lucky he was instead of on how everyone knowing was making him feel. “Here you are,” he said, passing one of the cups to Aaron.

“Cheers,” the younger man said, sitting up from his slouching position on the armchair.

Robert sat across from him, just watching as Aaron blew on his coffee a few times before taking a sip. Aaron really was a good looking man. Robert had told him that before, but the younger man didn’t carry himself like he knew it. Taking a sip from his own hot coffee, Robert just relaxed in the comfortable chair and admired him for a moment. He liked the contrast of Aaron’s dark hair and beard against the pale skin of his face. He almost felt like a small shock went through him when Aaron’s deep blue eyes glanced up at him, catching Robert eyeing him. The younger man raised his eyebrows in question, so Robert said, “I was thinking…”

“Try not to hurt yourself,” Aaron teased.

“I’d like to take you somewhere tonight. For your birthday. Just the two of us. We can get away from your mum for a night.”

Aaron looked surprised for a moment, probably not expecting Robert to know when his birthday was. He wouldn’t have, but he’d overheard Vic talking about it a couple days ago. “Er, yeah,” Aaron said, a small smile quirking his lips. “That sounds great, actually. Do I get to know where we’re going?”

“I want to surprise you.”

“You know, I don’t actually like surprises,” Aaron told him. Robert couldn’t help but smile at that. 

“Just go along with it. I promise it’s nothing you’ll hate.”

Aaron gave a small laugh, shaking his head and looking away. “That’s a rousing endorsement!”

“I promise you’ll like it. Is that better?”

Looking back at him, Aaron nodded. “I suppose.”

“Good. I think we should…” Robert trailed off when the door to the cafe opened nearby and Chrissie walked in with Lawrence. She spotted Robert immediately, and hushed conversations broke out around the cafe as people realized they might get to see something worth gossiping about. Robert could only suppose that watching him and Aaron sip coffee hadn’t been very thrilling for them.

“Oh, it’s you,” Chrissie sneered when she saw them sitting there.

Lawrence grabbed her arm and tried to tug her back toward the door. “Come on, let’s go somewhere they don’t serve cheats and lowlives.”

“No,” Chrissie said, wrenching her arm out of Lawrence’s grip. “Why should we leave when they’re the ones who should be ashamed of showing their faces?” Chrisse walked over to their table, with Lawrence trailing behind. It was clear the old man wanted to avoid a scene, but Chrissie was ready for a fight.

“Chrissie,” Robert said with a nod.

“Robert,” she acknowledged him with a catty smile. She raised an elegant eyebrow as she shifted her attention to Aaron. “And Aaron, of course. I hear you two hardly go anywhere without the other these days. Must be the honeymoon period of the relationship.”

He heard the excited whispers around them as Chrissie confirmed the rumors. Robert felt embarrassment flood through him. “Just having some coffee,” he said, trying to seem nonchalant. “Nothing wrong with that.”

“Are you sure you can afford to go out for coffee?” Chrissie asked him in an overly concerned tone. “Now that you’re unemployed, I mean.”

Robert glanced over her shoulder at Lawrence, who gave the tiniest shake of his head. Well, if the old man hadn’t told her about their little meeting, it was a good sign that he was going to give Robert what he wanted. “I can afford to buy a couple cups of coffee,” Robert told her, covering for Lawrence.

She widened her eyes and looked between him and Aaron. Putting her hand to her chest, she said, “I’m sorry, was this a date? I hope I’m not interrupting. Seeing you here does make me wonder though. How many times did you sit in here having coffee with me, wishing it was Aaron sitting across from you? In fact, I remember sitting at that table over there catching you staring at him,” she said, pointing to a nearby table where a concerned looking Paddy was now sitting with Rhona. Robert remembered the day Chrissie was speaking of. She’d basically given him relationship advice without knowing what she was doing. “I even remember saying I’d be jealous at how you were looking at him if he were a woman. Imagine how stupid I felt when I found out.”

He was too aware that he was looking worse and worse by the second. Chrissie had all the sympathy from everyone listening in, and Robert was once again the bad guy. He hadn’t set out to hurt her or be the bad guy when he got involved with Aaron. He couldn’t help wanting who he wanted. “I don’t know what you want me to say,” he finally spoke up.

“I want you to explain why you did it!” she shouted, tears starting to roll down her cheeks. “I want you to tell me when it started.”

“I’m sorry I hurt you. I really am. But I’m not going to do this here. If you ever want to talk to me in private, I’ll answer your questions. Until then,” Robert got to his feet, grabbing his coffee, “this conversation is over.”

Not looking back, Robert walked out. He wasn’t surprised when Aaron followed him. He thought about going back to the pub, but decided the fresh air might actually help calm him down. Robert and Aaron walked quietly for several minutes before the younger man finally said something. “Maybe you should call her.”

“What?”

“I was thinking… you’ve not really had a chance to talk. Maybe you should call her. Set up a meeting, or something. She’s got questions, and you owe her answers at least.”

Robert nodded, finally stopping. They were on a quiet road, with fields on either side of them. “I’ve tried calling before, but I think she blocked my number. If she wants answers, she can come see me any time. Just not when everyone is there to listen in.”

Aaron shifted closer to him, standing close enough that it’d be easy to lean down and give him a kiss. “I don’t mind if you want to cancel our plans tonight and go talk to her.”

He thought about it for a second, but ended up shaking his head. “I need this. I need you. Let’s get out of Emmerdale for the night. Just forget about things and enjoy ourselves.” Now Robert did lean down and give the other man a kiss. It went from chaste to shameless snogging within seconds. “Let’s go back to the pub,” Robert finally said. “The sooner we leave, the happier I’ll be.”

*****

“You know my birthday isn’t until tomorrow, right?” Aaron asked as they pulled up to the same hotel Robert had stayed at his week away from Emmerdale, after the affair had been discovered. Despite having spent some truly miserable days there as he dealt with his breakup with Chrissie, it was actually quite a nice hotel. And that last night he’d spent there, after he’d called Aaron, had left him with a favorable impression of the place. It made him feel like the hotel was now their spot, a special place where they had come together. Robert thought it might be a bit romantic to bring Aaron back here. If it also happened to get them out of the village and away from the gossip that had erupted over them, so much the better.

“I noticed you waited to tell me that until after I took you for drinks and drove all this way,” Robert teased him. “I know your birthday’s tomorrow, but you have today off. We’ll do an early checkout in the morning and have you at the garage right on time for your shift. Come on, let’s go inside.” They grabbed their overnight bags and let the valet take Robert’s Audi. 

Robert checked them in, and glanced at Aaron’s face as they approached their room. He saw the younger man looking around curiously. “Is this the same room from last time?” he asked.

Glad he’d picked up on that, Robert nodded as he unlocked the door. “I was hoping you’d remember. I asked for the same room, because… well…” He trailed off as they went in, just watching Aaron move around the room.

“Because?” Aaron prompted as he opened up the mini bar and grabbed two beers.

Robert accepted a bottle from him and opened it for himself, taking a swig. “Well, it’s special, isn’t it?” he finally asked, a bit embarrassed. “It’s where we made things official between us.”

“So it is,” Aaron said, taking a sip from his own bottle. “Er, thanks.”

“Do you like it?” Robert asked, finding himself needing the reassurance. So much of the time he felt out of his depth with Aaron. He’d never felt this needy and awkward with any of the women he’d dated over the years.

“Course I do,” Aaron said, his cheeks reddening. Robert nodded, realizing that Aaron probably felt as awkward as he did.

Deciding that there was one thing that was never awkward between them, Robert drew in close to the younger man. “Come here,” he murmured, pleased with the way Aaron tipped his face up. Their lips met in a soft kiss. “I’ve got plans for you,” Robert whispered against his lips.

“Do any of them involve champagne and strawberries?” Aaron asked him. “You went through all the trouble of getting this room for us. If you’re being romantic, you should probably order the champagne before we get naked.”

Robert gave a shrug, then kissed him again. He could never get enough of Aaron. “It’s a bit overdone, isn’t it? Besides, I thought you’d turn your nose up at champagne. Beer seems more your style.”

Aaron pressed a kiss to Robert’s neck before nipping at him. “Maybe. So if I’m not to have champagne and strawberries, what did you have in mind?”

“You’ll see,” Robert promised him. Stepping back, he grabbed Aaron’s beer bottle from him and set both on a nearby table. He went into the bathroom and grabbed a couple of fluffy white robes from inside. “I thought we could start with a bath,” he said, placing the robes on the foot of the bed.

“Right,” the younger man said. Robert walked over to him and began loosening his tie for him. Aaron held still, watching him with darkened eyes as Robert slowly undressed him. He took his time with it, kissing the newly exposed skin of his chest as he unbuttoned Aaron’s shirt. When he lowered the younger man’s trousers and briefs, he kissed both hip bones and the insides of his thighs, ignoring Aaron’s cock for the moment. It was almost a disappointment when Robert grabbed the robe and held it up for Aaron, watching the white fabric drape over his nude body, hiding it from sight. It was only for a minute though, so Robert reached out and tied the sash, reassuring himself that he could soon take it off of Aaron.

He wanted to rush and throw off his clothes so they could get to their bath that much quicker. Robert made himself slow down, taking his time and making a show of it. He was no trained professional to make the strip tease amazing, but judging from the way Aaron’s eyes followed each move he made, Robert was doing a fair job of it. When he was finally naked, Aaron grabbed his hips and pulled him close, kissing him wildly. The feel of the soft robe the younger man wore rubbing along his cock made Robert moan. He resisted when Aaron tried to pull him toward the bed.

“Bath,” Robert gasped, pulled away from Aaron’s kiss.

“Bed,” Aaron insisted. Robert shook his head, finding it extremely difficult to remember why he shouldn’t give the birthday boy what he wanted as Aaron began nibbling on his neck.

“Bath,” Robert told him. “I’ve got plans for you.”

Aaron sighed when he pulled away to grab the second robe for himself. “This bath better be amazing, or I’ll make you pay for it later.” Robert hadn’t yet closed the robe over himself, and Aaron’s gaze was on him when his cock twitched at those words. The younger man smirked. “That’s your plan, isn’t it. Make me take a long, boring bath so that I’ll have to take it out on your arse later.”

“That sounds amazing, but no,” Robert said. He moved around Aaron so he was behind him, placing his hands on the shorter man’s shoulders and pushing at him until Aaron started walking toward the bathroom. When they got to the doorway, Robert nudged him inside and then flipped on the light switch.

Aaron laughed, and Robert grinned at the sound. Waiting on the vanity was a chilled bottle, a couple of champagne flutes, and a bowl of red strawberries. Aaron walked forward, grabbing the bottle as Robert went to start filling the large hot tub. “I thought you said champagne and strawberries were overdone,” Aaron said.

“I lied. Go on, open that up while I fill the tub.”

Before long, they were reclining in the hot tub, Aaron sitting between Robert’s thighs, back resting against his chest. The bowl of strawberries and the champagne were on a tray next to the tub, where they could reach it. Robert was kissing the back of Aaron’s neck as he let his hands roam over the younger man’s slick skin. Aaron reached over the side of the tub and grabbed his glass, taking a sip. “Tastes better than any champagne I’ve had before,” Aaron commented before taking another sip.

Robert smiled against Aaron’s neck, rubbing his face along the scruff of that lightly furred jaw. “This is the good stuff,” he said, not bothering to mention that this particular bottle had cost him a few hundred quid. He let his hands slip down Aaron’s chest, down his scarred belly to his hips. The younger man’s breath hitched as Robert used his right hand to fondle him. “Drink up,” Robert whispered into his ear.

Tipping his head back, Aaron guzzled the champagne and set his glass down on the tray. Robert began sucking on his neck as he slowly stroked Aaron’s cock into readiness. The younger man gripped Robert’s thighs as his breath quickened. “Robert,” he moaned, writhing against Robert’s chest. The sound of his name on Aaron’s lips was incredibly sexy, and he moaned as he continued his assault on the other man’s neck, determined to mark him. He heard the urgency in Aaron’s panting breaths, and quickened the pace of his hand, the soapy water slick enough that his fingers glided easily along that hard length. Aaron came, bucking hard enough to slosh water over the rim of the tub as Robert stroked him through it until he relaxed.

Robert gave him a minute to recuperate before kissing his shoulder. “Bath is over. Now we get on the bed.”

They stood, waiter trailing down their bodies as they carefully stepped out of the hot tub and grabbed the robes they had discarded earlier. Robert couldn’t keep his eyes off of Aaron’s wet body, once again disappointed as the white robe covered it up. When Aaron made to tie the sash, he found himself reaching out to stop him. “Don’t,” Robert said, voice coming out hoarse. “I want to see you.”

Aaron looked at him for a moment before nodding, letting go of the sash. He stepped forward, reaching up to pull Robert’s robe down off his shoulders. It fell to the floor, leaving Robert nude and damp. “Bed,” Aaron reminded him, giving him a brief kiss. He could taste strawberries and champagne on those lips.

Smirking, Robert turned and walked out of the bathroom, knowing Aaron would be watching his arse. He’d only just made it to the bed when the younger man decided he couldn’t wait. Aaron grabbed his hips, holding him still so that he could press in tightly against Robert’s behind. Gasping at the feel of Aaron’s cock sliding along his cheeks, he had to take a few seconds before finding his words. “Bed, remember?”

Aaron released his grip on Robert, who immediately climbed onto the bed. He laid down on his back and stared down his body at where Aaron was still standing at the foot of the bed. The younger man pulled off the robe he wore. “Did you pack condoms?” Aaron asked.

“In my overnight bag,” Robert said. He watched as Aaron bent over to rifle through the bag. Admiring that perfect behind, he decided that sometime soon he’d want to see if the younger man would be willing to swap positions with him. For tonight, Robert wanted Aaron how he liked him best - deep inside of him and hitting that sweet spot over and over again.

Aaron walked over to the bed with lube and condoms in his hands. Robert raised his eyebrows. “That’s a lot of condoms,” he said, counting at least a half dozen.

“It’s my birthday, isn’t it,” Aaron said, tossing them onto the bed and getting on it. He crawled over to Robert, nudging his legs so that Robert would make room for him between them.

“Am I going to be able to sit down without wincing tomorrow?” Robert asked him, not able to hide his smile at the thought.

Aaron shrugged, kneeling there between Robert’s thighs, smoothing his hands up and down them. “Not my problem.”

“Oh, it’s not?” he asked, amused. “And what if I can’t walk right? Are you going to carry me out over your shoulder?”

“Nah, I’ll just take your keys and leave you here.”

Robert couldn’t help laughing at that. “Nice. Tell me why I’m doing any of this for you?”

“Because it’s my birthday,” Aaron reminded him, reaching over for the lube and squirting a generous amount onto his fingers. He tapped Robert’s leg with his left hand, and he took the hint, grabbing hold of the backs of his knees and holding his legs to his chest. It gave Aaron access to his entrance, and the younger man started prepping him, fingers massaging the tight ring of muscles. Robert immediately lost his ability to talk, losing himself in the feel of those fingers working into him, making him loose.

All Robert could do was nod when Aaron asked him if he was ready. He was more than ready, so desperate that when Aaron laid down next to him, Robert pounced on him like a ravenous beast spotting downed prey. He straddled the younger man, reaching down to line them up before sinking down onto him. The feel of Aaron filling him up brought a wordless groan from him, a sound he’d probably have been embarrassed about if he’d been in his right mind. But he wasn’t in his right mind. Aaron drove him completely mad. Robert felt half crazed with need and desire as he seated himself on Aaron’s cock.

Being on top let Robert set the pace. He went slow at first, pulling up and grinding down onto Aaron until he had loosened up a bit more. The moment he felt relaxed enough, he quickened his movements, throwing his head back and enjoying the feel of Aaron’s cock sliding along that spot inside of him. “Look at me,” Aaron gasped, his hands on Robert’s waist tightening. Robert looked down at him, the sight of Aaron’s flushed face and sweat streaked body hitting him hard. Aaron wrapped a hand around Robert’s cock, stroking him as Robert slammed down onto him.

Gasping as he came, Robert barely noticed when Aaron flipped them over. He did notice when Aaron started thrusting into him, fast and hard, hitting that sweet spot until Robert found himself coming again as if he hadn’t just shot his load half a minute ago. His toes curled as wave after wave of pleasure soaked into him, making him shudder and his eyes roll into the back of his head. He was spent, muscles twitching as Aaron collapsed onto him.

Robert wasn’t sure, but he may have passed out for a few minutes. With an orgasm that intense, he wasn’t really surprised. When he managed to open his eyes again, his breathing had gotten back to normal and Aaron had slid off of him to press in against his side. He liked the feel of laying next to Aaron, with their legs entwined and bodies cooling after their exertions. This was something he would never have allowed himself before, when he had still been with Chrissie. Robert had always been so bent on keeping his distance from Aaron, trying to cut away the intimacy from their relationship. He had tried so hard to not care, to keep it casual. He’d failed time and again, drawn back to the younger man without understanding why.

Robert still didn’t entirely understand it. Their chemistry, their passion, was easy to recognize. There was no denying the way his body stirred when Aaron came near, or how one look from the younger man could make his heart race. It was almost absurd how pleased it made him when something he said or did made Aaron smile. His day was made if he got Aaron to laugh. All of these things were true, but knowing why they were true was something else. What was it about Aaron that made him so irresistible. It went beyond looks, beyond the physical. Robert still didn’t know even half of what there was to know about Aaron, but it was like he had instinctively realized that the younger man was amazing.

Without Chrissie in the picture to worry about and distract him, Robert now had time to figure out all the little things that made Aaron who he was.

“You awake?” Aaron whispered, shifting his head more comfortably against Robert’s shoulder. In answer, Robert wrapped his left arm around Aaron’s shoulders, drawing him in to press against his side. “I thought you’d fallen asleep. You got pretty quiet.”

“Just thinking,” Robert told him.

“Yeah?”

“Mm,” Robert sighed, turning his face toward Aaron and pressing his lips against the top of his head.

“Rob?” Aaron prompted him, pulling away enough that he could see Robert’s face.

“Hey, I was enjoying that,” he complained, Aaron rolled his eyes and settled back down. Robert nuzzled his face against Aaron’s dark hair, smelling his shampoo and a bit of clean sweat he’d worked up.

“Are you sniffing me again? You know that’s weird, right?”

Robert couldn’t help laughing at that, remembering how Aaron had sussed him out when he’d done it before. The last time they were in this room, actually. “I can’t help it if you smell good. I’m not in the habit of smelling everyone, you know.”

Aaron snorted with amusement, wrapping his arm around Robert’s chest. “Right. I remember. You don’t sniff just any mechanic.”

“Only my favorite grease monkey,” Robert agreed.

Aaron shifted against him, skin sliding smoothly against him. “If you have trouble sitting tomorrow, it’s not my fault. You were on top.”

“Not at the end,” he said, pleased. “That was amazing.”

“I thought you liked being on top,” Aaron teased.

“I do, but it was still amazing.”

Aaron moved his head so he could kiss him softly. “We’ll do it again. Later. We have plenty of time.”

“Any chance I can convince you to call in sick tomorrow?” Robert asked as Aaron’s hand trailed down his chest. “We can stay in bed late. Have breakfast in bed maybe.”

“You’ll have to convince me,” Aaron said, nuzzling in against Robert’s neck and tickling him with his beard.

Robert smiled. “Challenge accepted.”


End file.
